Eerie Audio Files, Continued

The Haunted Mansion: deconstructing the soundtrack

Continuing your audio tour, DoomBuggies.com presents a collection of actual
clips and samples from the Haunted Mansion attraction soundtrack, each of
which will take you deeper into the Haunted Mansion's moldering sanctum
of the spirit world.

Layer and texture: sounds from the graveyard

The Haunted Mansion's Graveyard scene provides one of the best examples
of the multiple levels of sonic texture involved in creating the attraction's
intricate sound design. In this scene, Baker's and Atencio's "Grim
Grinning Ghosts" is divided into numerous well-placed tracks, all of
which are placed throughout the set to create a virtual jamboree. The resulting
"jam session," carried by lead vocalist Thurl Ravenscroft, is
a marvelous cacophony of gleeful abandon, all in a jazz swing with a '60s-style
pop sensibility.

Click the button to listen to an isolated
loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring the Piper
Ghost, seen wearing a kilt and playing the bagpipes.

Click the button to listen to an isolated
loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring the Bugling
Ghost, seen playing a jazzy brass refrain in his pajamas.

Click the button to listen to an isolated
loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring the Singing
Mummy, seen mumbling his lyrics through moldy bandages.

Click the button to listen to an isolated
loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring the Monotone
Chorus, singing their lyrics in hushed, ghoulish unison.

Click the button to listen to an isolated
loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring the Opera
Ghosts, outperforming each other in powerful vocal solos.

Click the button to listen to an isolated
loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring the Harpist
Ghost, seen in a soldier's uniform playing a small harp.

Click the button to listen to an isolated
loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring the Tea
Party Ghosts, seen singing as they enjoy a spot of tea.

Click the button to listen to an isolated
loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring the Deaf
Ghost, who can't tell what the Mummy's saying.

Click the button to listen to an isolated
loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring the Prisoner,
singing his lyric in a regal, European accent.

Click the button to listen to an isolated
loop from the Haunted Mansion Graveyard scene featuring the Executioner
and Victim, a decapitated knight holding his singing head.

More Isolated Sound Effects Found in the Haunted Mansion

The following samples are more random isolated sounds from the Haunted
Mansion soudtrack. The ride uses many types of audio systems and intricate
mixing techniques to enable you to be led by the host's voice in your carriage
as you are also hearing carefully positioned ambient sound from speakers
placed throughout the attractionall without a distracting amount of
bleed from the other Doom Buggies, which is quite an impressive feat of
audio engineering. (The Haunted Mansion photo above is by Christopher
Saucier.)

Listen to this isolated sound effect
from Madame Leota's seance: a ringing bell:

Listen to an isloated effect from the
graveyard scene: a feral graveyard cat:

Listen to more isoated effects from
the graveyard scene, such as these creepy singing ghosts:

Listen to this isoated effect: a creaking
door from the Corridor of Doors:

Listen to this isolated sound effect
from Madame Leota's seance: a mystical horn:

Listen to an isloated effect from the
graveyard scene: a mysterious raven:

Listen to more isoated effects from
the graveyard scene, such as this howling wolf, off in the distance:

Listen to this isoated effect: crashing
thunder from the Hall of Portraits:

Take the ultimate ride through the
Haunted Mansion!A full 12 minute immersive experience

Get out your headphones, or separate those speakers, and prepare
for the next best thing to being there. This stereo recording of a ride
through the Disneyland Haunted Mansion (circa 2000) will put you right into
the thick of the action. Recorded with high definition channel separation,
this journey through the ride is definitely a cut above most attraction
soundtrack recordings, and is even more enjoyable than a source tape recording,
since you can feel the dimensions of the area. Join a happy crowd of guests
as they enter the foyer for the first time! Feel the bone-rattling crunch
as the body drops from the rafters! Experience the blast of air as the pneumatic
pop-up ghosts shoot out of the attic chests! Marvel at the virtual 3-D soundscape
as you travel through the graveyard! Even experience being "unavoidably
detained by cranky spirits!" (Right-click on the following link to
download a higher-quality MP3 file of the binaural
Haunted Mansion ride-through to load onto your iPod or MP3 player.)

There's more media to come, including multiple cover versions
of the Haunted Mansion theme song, so keep reading!